Artifact 5 at Essence 1

[Colin_Fredericks]

I have a how-to for how to create five-dot artifacts with a starting character over at Stranger Creations. Here's the direct link:

https://strangercreations.wordpress....5/artifactory/

Corrections and notes are welcome.

I'm curious as to whether anyone has a better way to do it. I think there might be a method that involves white XP that could be more efficient than with gold XP, but I haven't looked into that method yet. I just wanted something that gave a guarantee of actually being able to hit the needed number of successes without leaving much to chance.

[TGUEIROS]

Colin_Fredericks

There is no need for errata for Unbroken Image Focus;

After making an (Attribute + Craft) roll, this Charm may
be invoked to add a supernatural burst of precision, skill,
and inspiration to the Solar’s hands.

So this is a case where the charm explicitly states it can be used after rolls.

[Snakesandsuns]

Thanks for this. My first character I have planed is going to be a crafter. It is nice to see that I might not have to devote all my charms crafts to be successful.

[Sanctaphrax]

I don't think there's much point picking up the extra crafting xp Charms. You get 4-9 silver xp per basic project, assuming you have an Intimacy and some customers. Those are trivial requirements: Intimacies are free, and getting customers is easy when you're a legendary master.

The number of projects you can do per hour varies depending on the type of basic project you've chosen, because the system isn't balanced at all. Let's say you do 2 per hour.

Then in a standard 8-hour work day, you'll get 64-144 silver points. You can Sublime Transference your way to 100 gold points in two or three days.

EDIT: Why didn't you use Flawless Handiwork Method or Experiential Conjuring of True Void in your example? The system rewards you for finishing in as few rolls as possible...

[Colin_Fredericks]

Colin_Fredericks

There is no need for errata for Unbroken Image Focus;

After making an (Attribute + Craft) roll, this Charm may
be invoked to add a supernatural burst of precision, skill,
and inspiration to the Solar’s hands.

So this is a case where the charm explicitly states it can be used after rolls.

Thanks! For some bizarre reason my mind decided that "invoke" was different from "activate", but you're absolutely correct. I'll fix that up.

[Colin_Fredericks]

Thanks for this. My first character I have planed is going to be a crafter. It is nice to see that I might not have to devote all my charms crafts to be successful.

No problem!

Yeah, compared to Wyld-Shaping Technique (tomorrow's post topic), crafting is a fairly cheap investment.

[Colin_Fredericks]

I don't think there's much point picking up the extra crafting xp Charms. You get 4-9 silver xp per basic project, assuming you have an Intimacy and some customers. Those are trivial requirements: Intimacies are free, and getting customers is easy when you're a legendary master.

The number of projects you can do per hour varies depending on the type of basic project you've chosen, because the system isn't balanced at all. Let's say you do 2 per hour.

Then in a standard 8-hour work day, you'll get 64-144 silver points. You can Sublime Transference your way to 100 gold points in two or three days.

EDIT: Why didn't you use Flawless Handiwork Method or Experiential Conjuring of True Void in your example? The system rewards you for finishing in as few rolls as possible...

Nice example. I'm not sure whether that amount of silver crafting would fall under the "gaming the system" rules, but I'm also not sure whether I care. The fact that you can't play a swordsmith who only makes swords in this system is also a little silly; being silly to get around that is just fine with me.

ECTV is really good at higher Essence, but not so great at Essence 1. It does give non-Charm dice, so if you want extra insurance and have a few more motes and craft points lying around, go ahead and throw it in.

Flawless Handiwork Method has a really low return rate, even if it's used as intended (rather than as written, where it's downright detrimental). You get, on average, 1.1 extra successes per ten dice, for six motes. It's also unreliable, which for crafting purposes is worse. Nothing sucks worse than hoping for a lot of 10s and not getting them, unless it's saying "Uh, I know we were hoping to beat up Mask of Winters next week, but I need to scrap the Masamune and start over."

The repurchased version is better, so I may rewrite to include that.

Thanks for the feedback!

[TheCountAlucard]

The fact that you can't play a swordsmith who only makes swords in this system is also a little silly…

Folks need to stop parroting this meme about - it isn't true.

[SoulGambit]

5 (Attribute, probably Int) + 5 Ability +4 Bracers of Crafting +6 Dice from Experiential Conjuring of True Void +1 Success from that, +1 Success from Willpower if necessary = 30 Dice +1 or +2 Successes.

Flawless Handiwork Method
Experiential Conjuring of True Void
Flawless Demiurge Method
Supreme Masterwork Focus (x2)
Divine Inspiration Technique


First we calculate Demiurge. (30*1.1*(4/10)-8)/3 = 1.7 round this up for 2 two extra 10's We see if these extra 10's plus flawless handiwork method affect anything. (32*1.1*0.4-8)/3-1.7 = 0.3. This is less than 1, so we add no more 10's. two 10's increases our dicepool from 30 to 32 and adds +4 successes to the end total.

(32*(7/10)+5)*1.3 = 35 average successes, not counting willpower (which brings it up to 36)..This ia actually on the lower end because I used a very conservative estimate for demiurge.

The next most impactful charm you can buy is Flawless Handiwork, after that. This will raise you to an average of 45 successes per roll. As a random note, the second purchase of Flawless Handiwork is worth as much as Divine Inspiration, those those who want to begin at a lower Essence. However, in their case I'd recommend Bright Forging Prana anyways.

[Colin_Fredericks]

Folks need to stop parroting this meme about - it isn't true.

I'm not parroting a meme. This is my own reading of the system.

Don't I need silver XP to make major projects? Aren't swords major projects? (Or am I forgetting without the book in front of me and it's shipwrights who have this problem?)

I know that there is a comment in the book about making exceptions and just having people make a roll to craft things sometimes. That makes sense to me. It also feels like "exceptions" are not how an entire Craft specialization should work.

Maybe you could claim that your plans, your blade, your hilt, your crossguard, etc. are all basic projects, and putting them together is the major project. If so, that should be very explicit.

[Colin_Fredericks]

5 (Attribute, probably Int) + 5 Ability +4 Bracers of Crafting +6 Dice from Experiential Conjuring of True Void +1 Success from that, +1 Success from Willpower if necessary = 30 Dice +1 or +2 Successes.

Flawless Handiwork Method
Experiential Conjuring of True Void
Flawless Demiurge Method
Supreme Masterwork Focus (x2)
Divine Inspiration Technique


First we calculate Demiurge. (30*1.1*(4/10)-8)/3 = 1.7 round this up for 2 two extra 10's We see if these extra 10's plus flawless handiwork method affect anything. (32*1.1*0.4-8)/3-1.7 = 0.3. This is less than 1, so we add no more 10's. two 10's increases our dicepool from 30 to 32 and adds +4 successes to the end total.

(32*(7/10)+5)*1.3 = 35 average successes, not counting willpower (which brings it up to 36)..This ia actually on the lower end because I used a very conservative estimate for demiurge.

The next most impactful charm you can buy is Flawless Handiwork, after that. This will raise you to an average of 45 successes per roll. As a random note, the second purchase of Flawless Handiwork is worth as much as Divine Inspiration, those those who want to begin at a lower Essence. However, in their case I'd recommend Bright Forging Prana anyways.

Nice. How are you getting six dice from ECTV, though? Won't it only get to that at higher essence?

[SoulGambit]

It is. When you take it as a supernal, you get that upgrade to start.

[Colin_Fredericks]

It is. When you take it as a supernal, you get that upgrade to start.

I'm not sure that's true. I know you should be able to repurchase higher-essence versions, but I'm not sure that your existing charms treat you as if you had higher essence.

Sure would be sweet if they did, though.

[TheCountAlucard]

I'm not parroting a meme. This is my own reading of the system.

Look into the Craft Charms. If you're a Solar and you don't want to have to do basic projects, you can give yourself silver XP every time you sleep.

[Colin_Fredericks]

Look into the Craft Charms. If you're a Solar and you don't want to have to do basic projects, you can give yourself silver XP every time you sleep.

Oh definitely, but mortal swordsmiths don't have that option.